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A Marist Brother has been jailed for some of his victims, but another ex-student has died by suicide

By a Broken Rites researcher, article updated 10 January 2019

Australian Marist Brother David Austin Christian was recruited by the Marist Brothers at the age of 15 and became a fully-fledged Brother at 18. By the age of 40 (in the 1980s), he was a school principal — and he was sexually abusing young boys. Years later, some of these victims began to speak (as adults) to child-protection detectives in the state police force. This resulted in David Christian being jailed when he was in his seventies. But how many other victims of Brother David Christian have NOT spoken to the police? For example, one of Brother David Christian's ex-students died by suicide at the age of 21, leaving a suicide note about how his life had been damaged by Brother David Christian.

More details about the suicide are given at the end of this article.

This Broken Rites article demonstrates how it is best for victims to exercise their right to consult the detectives.

For many years, the Marist Brothers in Australia were divided into two Provinces. The northern province was for New South Wales and Queensland. David Austin Christian (date of birth 3 December 1942) belonged to the southern province which supplied Marists Brothers to various schools in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. David Christian was teaching in Western Australia when the charged offences occurred (at Newman College junior school in Churchlands) and his court appearances were in W.A.

First conviction, 1995

Brother David Austin Christian, formerly principal of Marist Brothers' Newman College junior school in Perth, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault against two boys (aged 10 and 11) in the principal's office. In a Perth court in 1995, Christian was fined $10,500 ($1,500 per incident) but the Marist Order said it would pay the fine for him. Brother Christian moved to live with the Marist Brothers in Templestowe, Melbourne. According to Marist websites (accessed in 2011), Brother David Christian continued to be accepted by his superiors and colleagues as a member of the Marist order.

Second conviction, 2014

In the W.A. District Court in 2014, Brother David Christian was convicted of one count of indecently dealing with a child under the age of 14 years (in the early 1980s) The court gave him a nine months suspended jail sentence.

Third conviction, early 2017

In the same court on 10 January 2017, Brother David Christian was convicted of two offences of indecently dealing with a child under the age of 14 (in the early 1980s),

Sentencing David Christian, Judge O'Neal told him: "You were the principal of the school that this ten-year-old boy attended. You wrapped yourself in a public profession of Christian religiosity as a Marist Brother."

The judge said the offending has had a "catastrophic effect" on the psychological health and wellbeing of the victim.

"Despite high academic achievement as a child, [the victim] left school early with an understandable problem with authority figures like teachers... He [has] had a complete breakdown. He has been struggling with drug and alcohol issues, and his life is at a very low point", the judge said.

"This case is among the most serious examples of breach of trust."

"In view of the seriousness of these offences, a term of imprisonment is the only appropriate disposition."

The judge sentenced Christian to 16 months jail for each of the two incidents. The judge reduced each term to 12 months, to be served consecutively, making a total of two years, with parole possible after 12 months behind bars.

Fourth conviction, late 2017

While David Christian was in jail, another of his victims was speaking to the police regarding two incidents that occurred in 1991 at Perth's Newman College junior school when this boy was aged 12 in Year 7. Brother David Christian was the junior school's principal.

On 5 December 2017, Christian (aged 75 in 2017) pleaded guilty in the W.A. District Court to two incidents of indecently dealing with this boy.

The boy had already been a victim of bullying at the school, the court was told. Brother David Christian summoned this boy to his office. The boy was placed on Christian's lap, and the indecent dealing then occurred.

Christian's defence lawyer said that because his client was recruited by the Marist Brothers about age 15, he did not have the opportunity to explore his sexuality when he was young. He said Christian later explored his sexuality through his behaviour with children.

District Court Judge Mark Herron said David Christian knew the child was particularly vulnerable before the abuse occurred. He said Christian traumatised and confused the victim through his gross abuse of trust.

“Given your position of trust you should have been protecting the child and ensuring he was safe,” Judge Herron said. “Your actions undermine the trust and confidence members of the public, particularly parents, have when they place their children in the care of schools.”

Judge Heron sentenced David Christian to an additional six months jail.

Suicide

Broken Rites has learned that one former student at Perth's Newman College (during Brother David Christian's time as primary principal there) has died by suicide. Broken Rites will refer to this ex-student as "Basil" (not his real name).

In November 2018, Broken Rites interviewed Basil's mother. This mother said (and Broken Rites is changing the boy's name to "Basil"):-

"In 1991, Basil was in Year 7 (aged twelve) at Newman College, Perth, and his class was being taught by a lay teacher. When Basil misbehaved, this teacher sent Basil to Brother David Christian (principal of the primary-level classes) to be disciplined for this misbehaviour. Evidently, Brother David Christian began to sexually abuse Basil, although we did not know this at the time. This abuse evidently disrupted Basil's life. He became alienated from schoolwork and he became a hermit. By the end of Year 7, we had to transfer Basil to a government high school.

"Basil continued to remain silent about his Year Seven abuse. He concealed the abuse from us because he presumed that our very devout Catholic family would not welcome this news and that we would not believe him. During his later teenage years, Basil's behaviour deteriorated even more. His life became in a mess. By the age of 21, he had attempted suicide. The family did not know why.

"Finally, on 10 November 2001, aged 22, he succeeded in dying by suicide. His body was found by his sister. He left a note, telling us (for the first time) that he had been abused by Brother David Christian in Year 7. Unfortunately, his sister was no upset that she destroyed the suicide note. But we managed to find out more from a psychiatrist who Basil had been seeing. The psychiatrist confirmed that Basil's was feeling damaged by the abuse he suffered under Brother David Christian. At last, we learned (too late) the story behind Basil's troubled life."

Broken Rites is continuing its research about Marist Brother David Christian.

About Us

Since 1993, Broken Rites Australia has been researching the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Too often, the church supported the offending clergy while ignoring the victims. For example, Broken Rites has shown how the church shielded the criminal priest Father Gerald Ridsdale for 32 years without reporting his crimes to the police. Finally, in 1993, some Father Ridsdale victims contacted the police. These victims also contacted the newly-formed Broken Rites.
This photo demonstrates why Broken Rites was needed. In the photo, Catholic priest Gerald Ridsdale (left, in sunglasses and hat) walks to court, accompanied by his support person (a bishop), when Father Ridsdale was pleading guilty to his first batch of criminal charges in May 1993. But no bishop accompanied the victims, who felt deserted by the church leaders. Therefore, since 1993, Broken Rites research has supported many of the Catholic Church's victims, as shown on this website. Read More